Meletis Astronomer MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Wizard
Abilities	Heroic
Released	2014-02-07
Set symbol
Set name	Born of the Gods
Set code	BNG
Power	1
Toughness	3
Number	43
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dan Scott

Key Takeaways

Meletis Astronomer grants card advantage by potentially drawing enchantments and informing future plays.
It contributes to resource acceleration through synergy with enchantment search and cost reduction.
Flexibility shines with the instant-speed heroic ability during your turn or the opponent’s.

Text of card

Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets Meletis Astronomer, look at the top three cards of your library. You may reveal an enchantment card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Meletis Astronomer’s ability to peek at the top card of your library and potentially reveal an enchantment provides a strategic advantage. This interaction not only potentially nets you an extra card but also gives you valuable information about upcoming draws, helping you plan future moves.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, the Meletis Astronomer may help you find key enchantments that can. By helping you draw into cards like abundant mana sources or cost-reducing enchantments, it indirectly contributes to your deck’s overall resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: The Meletis Astronomer’s heroically triggered ability can be utilized at instant speed whenever you cast a spell that targets him. This allows for flexible responses during your opponent’s turn, as you can cast a targeting instant on the Astronomer and possibly reveal and draw an enchantment right when you need it most.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Meletis Astronomer doesn’t require discarding per se, but triggering its ability relies on you playing enchantments, which can strain your hand if you’re not drawing enough cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Meletis Astronomer requires blue mana for casting, which can make it harder to slot into multi-color decks that might not focus on blue’s particular strengths.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana isn’t the steepest cost for a creature, given its modest stats and ability that hinges on an additional enchantment, some might find the cost a bit much for what it has to offer, especially when considering other options in the two-mana slot.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Meletis Astronomer card can be an asset in various deck types, fitting snugly into enchantment-focused strategies or any blue-centric build looking to capitalize on heroic triggers.

Combo Potential: With its ability to potentially reveal an enchantment whenever you cast a spell that targets it, Meletis Astronomer holds the potential to combo with a plethora of auras and enchantments, offering deck builders a way to chain beneficial effects and enhance board presence.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where enchantments play a key role, or where incremental advantage matters, Meletis Astronomer can offer consistent value, making it a contending choice for your lineup against the shifting tides of the metagame.

How to beat Meletis Astronomer

In the world of MTG, Meletis Astronomer has a niche yet intriguing role, often found in decks that are heavy on enchantments. Its ability to peek into the deck upon casting an enchantment grants players the chance to fortify their hand with additional tools. Standing out against other creatures of the same cost, it synergizes well with enchantment-based strategies catalyzing a potentially game-winning combo or simply providing value over time.

Defeating this card calls upon a mix of strategy and timely interaction. Removal spells that can target creatures are key, and it’s prudent to address the Astronomer before an enchantment triggers its ability. Control decks commonly pack answers such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, capable of disposing of the Astronomer cleanly and efficiently. If facing a board filled with enchantments, mass removal gets the job done while resetting the board state.

It is essential to monitor the tempo of the game; acting swiftly when Meletis Astronomer enters the battlefield prevents the opponent from gaining the upper hand with successive enchantment plays. Bearing in mind its humble stats, it can also be managed through combat as long as one remains vigilant about the evolving board presence of enchantments.

Cards like Meletis Astronomer

Meletis Astronomer is a card that beautifully captures the essence of deck synergy in MTG. When contextualizing its ability within the realm of Heroic cards, it stands out with its unique triggering effect. The Astronomer, for example, can be compared to other Heroic cards such as Tethmos High Priest. While both are triggered by spells targeting them, Tethmos High Priest brings creatures back from the graveyard, creating an immediate board presence.

Looking to other parallels, Vanguard of Brimaz offers a different but complementary functional advantage. Similar to the Meletis Astronomer, it benefits from casting spells that target it. However, instead of manipulating the deck, Vanguard of Brimaz creates token creatures, bolstering your army right on the battlefield. Another card worth mentioning is Phalanx Leader, which has the power to strengthen your entire troop with +1/+1 counters whenever targeted by a spell, amplifying its effect across the board.

In conclusion, Meletis Astronomer holds its own among Heroic cards, emphasizing strategic deck manipulation. Its particular ability to peek and potentially place enchantments into your hand provides significant advantages, building momentum rather than immediate on-field impact.

Cards similar to Meletis Astronomer by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Meletis Astronomer MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Meletis Astronomer and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Meletis Astronomer has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Meletis Astronomer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2013-09-15	Heroic abilities will resolve before the spell that caused them to trigger.
2013-09-15	Heroic abilities will trigger only once per spell, even if that spell targets the creature with the heroic ability multiple times.
2013-09-15	Heroic abilities won’t trigger when a copy of a spell is created on the stack or when a spell’s targets are changed to include a creature with a heroic ability.